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A Day of Smoothies

Every one of us has, at some point or another, felt at a loss when tasked with making a meal. Sometimes there’s just too much to do, too much exhaustion, or too little inspiration. But we all need to eat, and anyone can appreciate a shortcut to nourishment once in a while. Little can beat the speed and convenience of packing a blender full of an otherwise unfathomable and often unpalatable number of ingredients, and ending up with a perfectly drinkable and (likely) tasty meal or snack in a glass. Of course I love to cook, to plan out meals, to sit down to dinner with the whole family, to teach my daughter that food takes time and care, that it’s important and good, and to be appreciated. But sometimes life is too full, and another little thing we all need is sleep. So today I’m sharing three smoothie recipes that always save me in a pinch. These smoothies are not fussy or precious, not meant to steal anyone’s heart with their looks, but they get the job done, and they taste really good, too.

First up, the green breakfast smoothie. This one occupies a special place in my heart because it doesn’t call for a banana and manages to hold up very well without it. More often than not, in the morning (especially early morning) I tend to stay away from the immediate sweetness that a banana brings to the table. Instead, there is avocado for creaminess, kiwi or peaches for body, a sunny kick from ginger and heaps and heaps of greens. The result is a glass of brilliant green, satisfying and nourishing smoothie, perfect for the start of the day.

Do you know that feeling of coming home from a run wildly starving, ready to devour the first edible thing that comes into your line of sight? This smoothie was invented specifically for such times, of which I have many. Frozen blueberries and banana, along with some post-workout-appropriate protein powder and hemp make for a perfectly good smoothie all on their own, but I like to add some gelled chia for more substance and nourishment. I also just enjoy the texture that chia brings to this smoothie – a little bit like pudding and a little bit like boba tea, with a pleasant pop and crunch that occurs if you bite into it. I usually prepare the chia the night before, so that I have it ready at a moment’s notice. All in all, this smoothie a lovely thing to feed your body after a rigorous sweat session.

And for the times when you want dessert right away but can’t imagine baking or doing any number of the other intricate activities associated with preparing dessert, there are smoothie bowls. This one reminds me of a favorite ginger-lemon cake that I sometimes make. It’s heavenly – creamy from the addition of tahini, zingy with lemon and ginger, and slightly sweetened with dates. And that color… The stovetop granola that embellishes the bowl is very easy, comes together quickly, and is the perfect topping for this smoothie bowl, as well as for yogurt, porridge, and many other desserts.

Ginger Shots sent me a variety pack of their cold-pressed and cold-pasteurized organic ginger shots – I was very impressed with their quality and freshness, and had fun incorporating them into these smoothies. The zing from the ginger and the bright notes from the other fruit juices within the blends (flavors include kiwi, apple, orange, lemon, pomegranate and more) work perfectly in all these smoothies, and give them a pleasant, sunny undertone. The shots are also very good on their own. Every time someone in the household gets sick, I like to concoct a similar mixture of juiced ginger, lemon and whatnot, for mending the patient in question right up. Ginger has that amazing ability to clear you up, especially if it’s a cold you’re dealing with – it has powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, and a little sip of the fiery root’s juice immediately awakens all the senses. These shots are a great option for the times I don’t want to get out the juicer to press a tiny piece of ginger. And I wouldn’t mind having one every morning, even when I’m perfectly healthy, for a bright start to the day.
The nice people from Ginger Shots are offering Golubka Kitchen readers a 15% discount off all their products, just use the code GOLUBKA2016 at checkout in their shop. Enjoy :)

*A note on the blender used in these photos – I normally use a high-speed Blendtec, but these photos were taken at Masha’s house, who only has an Oster. Just goes to show you – any blender can be used for these smoothies.

Combine all the ingredients in an upright blender, adding about 1 cup of water at first, then adding more if needed to achieve a smooth, milkshake consistency. The smoothie keeps well refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Notes

If you don't have a ginger shot, add more liquid and grated fresh ginger to taste.

Combine all the ingredients, with the exception of chia seeds, in an upright blender and blend until smooth. Place chia seeds into a jar or bottle with a tightly fitting lid and pour about ½ of the smoothie over them. Close the vessel and shake until chia seeds are evenly incorporated into the smoothie. Combine with the rest of the smoothie, mix and let gel in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Or combine chia with about ¾ cup of almond milk in a jar or bottle with a tightly fitting lid and shake until evenly mixed. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Once chia is ready, combine the rest of the ingredients in and upright blender with the remaining ¾ cup almond milk. Mix in the gelled chia with a spoon and enjoy.

Notes

If you don't have a ginger shot, add more liquid and grated ginger to taste.

I totally agree with your intro. Today is my birthday and I’m having 1/4 shredded cabbage with some canned chickpeas – while my boyfriend is dining in town with his mother who is visiting. Maybe a smoothie was a better idea, but since tomorrow we have a pest control in our apartment, I’ve already put away my Vitamix. Happy birthday to me :P

The green smoothie doesn’t have banana, which would work great for you. In the blueberry-chia smoothie, you could get away with just omitting the banana, since the chia adds that pudding-like texture – you might need to add dates/honey/other sweetener of choice if you are missing the sweetness from banana. You can also add fresh/frozen mango, peaches or kiwi to any smoothie instead of banana for sweetness and creaminess. If those fruit have too much water and don’t give you a thick enough smoothie, good things to add for creaminess are ice cubes or almond/nut butter. In the tahini smoothie bowl, frozen mango would probably work instead of banana.